Family of motorist fatally shot by cop want video released

Anthony Lattimore holds a sign outside the office of Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters' office during a protest demanding release of video showing the shooting death of Samuel Dubose by a University of Cincinnati police officer, Thursday, July 23, 2015, in Cincinnati. Deters has said he won't release the video until the investigation into Sunday's shooting is complete.

CINCINNATI — The family and supporters of a man fatally shot by a University of Cincinnati police officer who stopped him because of a missing license plate wants video from the shooting released.

About 20 people, including relatives of Samuel Dubose, protested Thursday outside Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters' office. They held signs with slogans including "Justice for Samuel Dubose" and repeatedly chanted for Deters to "release that tape."

Dubose's cousin, Ebony Johnson, said protests will continue until police body-camera footage is released. "We're here because we want answers, and we want justice," she said.

But Deters stood by his decision not to release the video until the investigation is finished. "The law supports our position to not release the video," he said in a statement Thursday.

Authorities say Officer Ray Tensing was at the edge of campus Sunday evening when he spotted a car, driven by Dubose, that was missing a front license plate, which is required by Ohio law. They say that after Tensing stopped the vehicle, the 43-year-old Dubose refused to provide a driver's license and, instead, showed the officer "a bottle of alcohol" and wouldn't get out of the car.

The two men began struggling, Tensing fired one shot and was knocked to the ground, the university police chief says.

Dubose's death comes amid months of national scrutiny of police dealings with black suspects, especially those killed by officers. Dubose was black; Tensing is white. Authorities haven't said whether race is a consideration in their investigation.

In refusing the request to release the video, Deters said authorities need time to do a thorough investigation and to ensure the grand jury process isn't tainted.

Tensing is on paid leave and hasn't responded to messages left for him at the police department. A phone listing for him could not be found.